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Arcata Council To Adjust Plastic Bag Ordinance

The Arcata City Council will reintroduce the city's plastic bag ban at Wednesday's city council meeting. The changes come after businesses voiced their concern over parts of the ordinance that charged customers for paper bags.

Under the proposed changes businesses would not have to charge customers ten cents for regular size plastic bags until 2015 and not have to charge anything for small or decorative bags. The change will incorporate all retail stores into the ordinance, not just larger retail stores.

On October 30 staff met with local business owners to receive input on the new ordinance. A staff report said business owners were concerned about implementing the ordinance.

The ordinance will go into effect Feb. of next year and ban all single use plastic bags. Plastics will still be available for produce, meats and bulk food items.